Stereopticon



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

W. S. SCALES.

STEREOPTIGON.

No. 592,575. Patented Oct. 26,1897.

(No Model.) 2 SheetsSheet 2.

W. S. SCALES.

STEREOPTIOON.

No. 592,575. Patented Oct. 26,1897

"uni/mm IIIWHWNE rirrnn STATES 1 PATENT FFICE.

VILLIAM S. SCALES, OF EVERETT, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO EDMUND HUDSON, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT.

STEREOPTICON.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 592,575, dated. October 26, 1897. Application filed May 21, 1896. Renewed September 8, 1897. Serial No. 650,982. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.- ratus is arranged to normally throw the light 7 Be it known that 1, WILLIAM S. SCALES, of upon the canvas, which may be colored-as,

Everett, county of Middlesex, and State of for instance, it may be a green or other soft Massachusetts, have invented an Improvelight during the time the displayopening ment in Stereopticons, of which the followof the stereopticon is closed-and as the dis- 55 ing description, in connection with the acplay-opening is uncovered this light disapcompanying drawings, is a specification, like pears and the view is displayed. This alterletters and numerals on the drawings reprenate action is produced by mechanism pro senting like parts. vided for the purpose, which may, if desired,

to stereopticon-views are usually thrown onto be operated at will from a distant point, so 60. a canvas in a dark room by removing the that if the stereopticon is used by a lecturer screen which normally covers the displayhe may cause this alternating action to take opening, after which said screen is restored place, and the need of an attendant is renwhile the next view is being placed in posidered unnecessary, although my invention 15 tion for exposure. During the time the views comprehends any other way of operating the 65 are thus being placed in position the canvas mechanism as long as the alternating optical upon which the pictures are thrown is dark, effect above mentioned is produced. and the sudden changes upon the canvas from As a simple way of producing the optical dark to light weary and tire the eyes of the effect referred to I have provided an auxil- 2o observers. Dissolving views have been iniary chamber at one side of the light-com- 7o troduced which overcome this eflect; but the partment of the stereopticon, which is made expense of a stereopticon constructed and arto communicate therewith, and said chamber ranged to produce dissolving views is very has an opening at the front, and a screen is large, two lamps being usually employed, and provided for said front opening, although it 2 5 the constant and careful attention of an eX- may be arranged at the opening communicat- 5 perienced operator is required to successfully ing with the light-compartment, which is opmanipulate the lamps to produce the desired erated simultaneously.with the screen which optical effect, as success depends almost encovers the display-opening of the stereoptitirely upon his successful manipulation. con, but in the opposite Way-21 e., it closes 3o Vith stereopticonssuch, for instance, as said auxiliary chamber,as by closing the front 80 represented in Letters Patent No. 518,104,, opening thereof, when the display-opening of granted to Edmund Hudson-where the sterethe stereopticon is uncovered and opens it as opticon-plates are connected together as a said display-opening is covered. chain and means provided for operating the The two screens may be connected to 3 5 screen which covers the display-opening and getheras by a walking-beam, for instance-- 8 5 also for moving along the plates, which is opso that the screen of the auxiliary chamber erated from a distant point at the will of the may be lighted to permit the passage of light operator, the necessity of a constant attendthrough it as the screen of the display-openant is avoided, but the optical effect is the ing of the stereopticon is raised to cover the 0 same as in the old form ofvstereopticon that display-opening. 90 is, the canvas is dark and then light. As is well known, the stereopticon slide or This invention has for its object toimprove plate is inverted, so that as the screen is the construction of stereopticons, whereby raised to cover the display-opening the view the sudden change upon the canvas from dark gradually disappears, beginning at the top,

45 to light is avoided and at the same time the while the screen for the auxiliary chamber 5 requirement of an attendant will be unnecat the same time gradually falls, preventing essary, so that the operator, who may be a the passage of light through it, therebythrowlecturer, may at his own free will operate the ing the light upon the canvas, which follows apparatus. the gradual disappearance of the view.

50 In carrying out this invention the appa- Any suitable mechanism may be provided IOO v showing the screens of the display-opening of the stereopticon and of the front opening I of the auxiliary, chamber; Fig. 3, a horizontal section of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1, taken on the dotted line mm, and Fig. 4, av'iew showing one form of motor mechanism for operating the screens. a

As my invention is applicable to a stereopticon of any usual or suitable form, the,

form hereinshown is only generally illustrated, it comprising a box or case B, adapted to contain any usual or suitable lamp (not shown) and lens or lenses located back of the display-opening c.

The box or case is adapted to receive any suitable number of stereopticon-plates 20,

connected together as a chain, which pass over an idle drum B, thence over a drum 6, The drum is arranged to be turned a quarter of a revolution by a suitable motor mechanism each time said mechanism is let off or 'otherj wise operated. Substantially this form off stereopticon is shown in the Letters 'Paten'tj and thence by the display-opening c.

No. 518,104, above referred to.

mechanism -such, for instance, as represented in Fig. 4 or of any other suitable form.

As thecrank is given a complete rotary 'movement the arm b will raise the screen a and; lower it again, thereby goverin-g the displayopening c'and thereafter uncovering it;

gages a pinion 0, secured to a shaft carrying a toothed wheel 0 which engages apiniom secured to a shaft carrying a toothed wheel 0 which engages a pinion on theescape-j The toothed wheel 0 has a stop-pin; which is engaged by the armature-lever o of j shaft.

the electromagnet m. The crank 19 issecu-red y to the shaft carrying the toothed wheel 0 A secondary train is also shown which is em} ployed to operate the :stereopticon-slides 20 'by intermittingly turning the drum 6, which I is connected therewith by means not shown, f and this secondary traincomprises a toothed gear a, seen-red to a shaft carrying :a pinion{ drivenby a main driving-gear, (not shown and said gear a engages a pinion u,sec'ured to a shaft carr'yln g toothedgear a which on gages a pinion on the escape-shaft u ondary train is released by a releasing-lever u, pivoted at M5 and having a downwardlyextended arm u", which is operated by the screen-actuating train at regular intervals by means not shown in detail, since this part of the mechanism forms no part of myinvention.

erepresents the auxiliary chamber, located at one side of the box or case 13, having an opening 6 at one side by which it communicates with the light-compartm ent of the storeopticon.

The auxiliary chamber a has an opening e at the front, which is formed with a glass plate a which may be colored, if desired, to soften the light. A mirror d is contained in said vauxiliary chamber, it being arranged obliquely between the front opening e and the :side opening 6 to reflect the light, although f so far as the breadth and scope of my inventi'on'is concerned said mirror, as well as the front colored plate, may be omitted; but as better and more eflicient results can be produced by their employment I prefer to employ both.

If the mirror d is omitted, the auxiliary chamber 6 will be lighted through the side opening 6 and will appear through the front opening; but the result in such case is not as satisfactory as when a mirror is employed. a represents the screen of the displayopening 0 of 'a stereopticon, it being sup-f ported upon one end of a walking-beam a, pivoted at a", and the bent arm or lever b is connected to said screen-as to its support- 1 in g-yoke, for instance-which is pivoted at 'b i and operated by a crank 5 driven by a motor 1 A screen f, sliding in suitable ways provided for it, is secured to the lower end of a yoke f which is connected by a'link with one end of the walking-beam a, and said screen isso hung'as to cover the front opening 6 when the screen a exposes the display-open- 'ing, and vice versa.

Each time the motor mechanism is operated and the crank b revolved the screen a rises and covers the displayopeniug c and the screen f falls and 'uncoversthe' front opening :6 and then the screens return to their former position.

The motor mechanism is adapted to be let 5 off by an electromagnet m or otherwise, and f be observed that 'as'the screen a rises and the as this mechanism and means for ope-rating it for-m no partof my invention it is not 'here- 3 in further described except to say that 'th'ef main gear 0, driven by the main spring, en-

As the stereopticon-view is inverted it will play-opening, of an auxiliary chamber communicating with the light -compartment of the stereopticon, having an opening at the front beside the display-opening of the stereopticon, a screen for said display-opening,

and another screen for said auxiliary chain ber, substantially as described.

' 2. The combination-with a stereopticon,

This seccomprising a light and a lens back of a display-opening, of an auxiliary chamber communicating with the light-compartment of the stereopticon, having an opening at the front beside the display-opening of the stereopticon, provided with a colored-glass plate, a screen for said display-opening, and another screen for said auxiliary chamber, substantially as described.

3. Thecombination with a stereopticon, comprising a light and a lens back of a display-opening, of an auxiliary chamber communicating With the light-compartment of the steropticon, having an opening at the front beside the display-opening of the stereopticon, an obliquely-arranged mirror contained in said auxiliary chamber, a screen for said display-opening, and another screen for said auxiliary chamber, substantially as described.

4. The combination with a stereopticon, comprising a light and a lens back of a display-opening, of an auxiliary chamber communicating With the light-compartment of the stereopticon, having an opening at the front beside the display-opening of the stereopticon, provided with a colored-glass plate, an obliquely-arranged mirror contained in said auxiliary chamber, a screen for said display-opening, and another screen for said auxiliary chamber, substantially as described.

5. The combination with a stereopticon, comprising a light and a lens back of a display-opening, of an auxiliary chamber communicating with the light-compartment of the stereopticon, having an opening at the front beside the display-opening of the stere-y opticon, a screen for said display-opening, and another screen for said auxiliary chamber, and means for moving said screens simultaneously in opposite Ways, substantially as described.

6. The combination with a stereopticon, comprising a light and a lens back of a dis- 5 la -0 enin of an auxiliar chamber com- P P c7 municating with the light-compartment of the stereopticon, having an opening at the front beside the display-opening of the stereopticon, a screen for said display-opening, and another screen for said auxiliary chamber, and mechanism for moving said screens simultaneously in opposite Ways, operated from a distant point at the Will of the operator, substantially as described.

7. The combination with a stereopticon, comprising a light, and a lens back of a display-opening, of an auxiliary chamber communicating with the light-compartment of the stereopticon, having an opening at the front beside the display-opening of the stereopticon, a walking-beam, a screen supported by one end thereof for said display-opening, and a screen supported by the other end thereof, for the auxiliary chamber, and mechanism for moving said screens, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

WILLIAM S. SCALES.

Witnesses:

B. J. NOYES, C. B. CROCKER. 

